Before
Before adverb - So as to precede something in order of time.
Erstwhile
Erstwhile adverb - At an earlier or previous time.
Mutual synonyms
Related pairs
Both words in one sentence
- In the climactic battle, Swindapa ambushes her erstwhile tormentors, who barely have the time for an Oh Crap moment before they're beheaded/disemboweled.
Source: Oh Crap / Literature -
Erstwhile has the title character of "The Farmer's Clever Daughter", who earns her happy ending by predicting what the king will do and solving a riddle he sets before her.
Source: Guile Hero -
Gai takes the Blue Frame and uses it to take care of their erstwhile employers, before Lowe shows up with the Red Frame to make sure he doesn't try the same to his friends.
Cite this Source
Erstwhile and Before. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 13, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/before/erstwhile
Before & Erstwhile. N.p., 2016. Web. 13 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/before/erstwhile>.
Erstwhile or Before. 2016. Accessed August 13, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/before/erstwhile.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "before" and "erstwhile" have occurred on timeline